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Episode 287 (11th September 1963)
Plot Emily tells Doreen that she's put in her resignation as manageress. Doreen can't understand why as the shop is doing much better under her and cites her improvements. She doesn't like the idea of Swindley returning. Albert hears that Cox and Schofield are expanding their business and wonders if there's a job for Sheila there. Florrie promises to pass the message on. Lucille visits Sheila who is getting ready for a trip out to see Neil though she admits she is uncertain what to do but desperately hopes he'll take her back. She tells Lucille what it's like to be in love with someone but scares her with the intensity of her passion. Ena is annoyed that Gamma is no longer stocking corset stays. Swindley returns to the shop as manager with immediate effect and gets rid of all of Emily's displays. She is sanguine about it but Doreen is annoyed. When Swindley boasts about the trust placed in his experience, Emily has to stop Doreen telling him why he was re-hired. Swindley rescinds Emily's instruction allowing Doreen to take personal calls on the shop phone. Concepta stops working at the Rovers as Harry is established in his new job. Jack and Annie wish her well. Ken returns from seeing Neil with another £3 of the money owed to Frank. Sheila also returns from seeing Neil, distraught as he's told her he doesn't want to see her anymore. Val tells her he tried to make a pass at her and that he isn't worth it. Doreen is oblivious to Sheila's pain as she witters on about her life. Florrie is insulted when Sheila is short with her when she asks if she got the new job. Doreen tells her friend that she's had enough of her as well. Left on her own, Sheila starts to take some pills... Cast Regular cast *Annie Walker - Doris Speed *Jack Walker - Arthur Leslie *Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth *Frank Barlow - Frank Pemberton *Ena Sharples - Violet Carson *Concepta Hewitt - Doreen Keogh *Harry Hewitt - Ivan Beavis *Lucille Hewitt - Jennifer Moss *Valerie Barlow - Anne Reid *Kenneth Barlow - William Roache *Florrie Lindley - Betty Alberge *Miss Nugent - Eileen Derbyshire *Doreen Lostock - Angela Crow *Sheila Birtles - Eileen Mayers *Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson *Mr Swindley - Arthur Lowe Guest cast None Places *Rovers Return Inn - Public *Corner Shop *15a Coronation Street - Bedsit *Rosamund Street *Gamma Garments - Shop and back room Notes *Controversial scenes showing Sheila Birtles being sick on the pills and then trying to gas herself as part of a suicide attempt were recorded but faded out on the original transmission after news of the plotline leaked and Granada Television received protests from, among others, the Deputy Coroner of Manchester. Faced with a barrage of media interest, producer Margaret Morris was pressured by senior management to change her intentions and not show the suicide. Some sources state that the ending was re-recorded but contemporary press articles indicate that this was not the case. The next episode was rewritten to have Sheila survive rather than die in the attempt however this last-minute change created extra pressures in the recording of that episode and led to union members threatening to boycott it. *The unshown scene survives on the telerecording of the episode made for overseas transmission but remained unseen for almost forty-eight years until it was included in the first instalment of the documentary series The Corrie Years which aired on ITV1 at 7.30pm on 20th July 2011. Actress Eileen Mayers, who played Sheila, was also seen watching the censored scene for the first time since 1963. *This episode has no cast credits, only production credits. *Doreen Lostock wonders if she could have her hairstyle changed to that of Cricket Blake. She was a character - full name: Chryseis 'Cricket' Blake - in the US television series Hawaiian Eye which ran from 1959 to 1963 and was played by Connie Stevens. *''TV Times'' synopsis: Sheila tries to solve her problems *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 8,284,000 homes (joint 1st place with 9th September 1963). Category:1963 episodes